I decided to go against the grain and sewed strips of 5 together and rolled them in a roll. I had 9 rolls ready and made my first strip as a base, then added to the right side of the center strip, then the left side, and used the rolls and cut them a the end of the row. Worked out nicely and I did not have those tangled 40 strips. I also made the width that I wanted the quilt to be. There were no surprises at the end, and yes, I did add extra strips.
I cut my strips from yardage. Jelly rolls are versatile but I would not buy one to make a quilt Fabric on Sale makes it worth my time to cut strips. I bought 10 yards total, and have made 2 tops and still have more to use. All for just over $30. Missouri Star has a neat one offered by Jenny and 3 dudes.
June in Cincinnati